Rotary engine



- J`. G. PORTER.

@oT/mv ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED IULY`H, |919- Patented July 27, 1920.

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' ATTORNEYS I. G. PORTER.

ROTARY ENGINE. f APPLICATION FILED JULY II, |919.

Patented July 27, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A ITORNEIS J. e. PORTER. ROTARY ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED .I 'ULY II,ISIS.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

MMM

UNITED sraras osmosi.,

JOHN e. Portmany or'wnavntvimngl kcaminort'ivrli j RUTA-"RY iApplication ledfJulyxH,

To all 'whom 2f mag/.fcQ/noernf' A u Be it Vknown that I, J ori-N GERALDFournil, a. citizen of theUnited States, anda resident of lVeaverville,in the county-of Trinity and State ofCalifornia,.-l1ave invented certainnew andl useful Improvements in Rotary ringines, of which the followingis av spec1- fication'.`

My invention relates to vimprovements 1n l engines, and' moreparticularly.Y torotary engines-Which are operated by directandexpansive pressure' of a motive fluid toir-gas ii'itroduced therein andhas for its v( )bject to produce an engine which shall' lee-simpleinconstruction and operation, and in-whiel1 the 'operation 'is Whollylinternal.`v

Another'object is -toL produce such Van engine having an adj ustableiexpansion control.Y i v lVith these and otherrobjects in View', myinvent-ion consists in certainL novel features of construction,arrangement and` combinationy of parts as willl hereinafter-be-ffullydescribed and pointed out inthe-claims, reference being had tothe drawings, in Which- Figure l is a side elevation of my invention,showing the exterior appearance and arrangement ofV the feedand exhaustmecha nism; I,

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinali section through lthe casing orstator; Fig. 3 isa transverse section through the engine, taken online'lS-BY of Fig. 2f;

Fig. i is a detail section of the-'abutment valve stem guide; andI YFig. 5 is aperspectiveview of a valve gear rody for controlling inletand `exhaust valves'. Referringmore particularly to thedraw# ing, lprovide a-casing or stator which com prises two circular flanged members`A and A1, eachV having two or moreprojections B and B1 radiating fromthe periphery` down- Wardly and shaped tol provide' an annular groovey Cof semi-'circular sectionV of the largest possible-diameter withinthe-couter flange D, said members being-fitted and matched and rmlysecuredx Vtogether by bolts Z passing through the flanges at properintervals. VThe members vA and A1v when so secured together constitute a'stator havingV an annular chamber'E' corresponding tothezordinary-steam cylinder, said chamber having circular cross sectionand having radiating therefrom the recesses lor pockets F. whichSpecification of "LettersAltlt'f'zn'c.l

ENGINE? i Patented @July er, 17,920. 1919.1- serial Nei 310,045..A

yextendfintofthe radialextensions orleg's B and B1 before mentioned. Themembers A' and' A1 are each -d'epressed in the'centralfpolrtion toafdepth sufficient to receive one-half theythickness of thevrotor diskand machinedto a ftrue face; the inner faces of the-Statormember are\provided with a circular groove- A2 ad; j aeent`4 its periphery in whichaV gasket A3- is placedjfto `render the-casing gas-tight'. Y The membersA and.v Ai areprovided "with an opening A? ,in the center te 'receivethe shaft S, suitable anti-friction boxing sfbeing' held WithinMthe hubA? formed integral with the casing.-plates.' Suitableloil cups- Gr areVvapplied ito the l jhub 'memberswwhereby proper lubricationeof thepartsv -may-bevsecured. l

The rotor? hereinbefore mentioned-is a steel -disk- H havingfa hub L atits center which fits true iii-they pressed outportions of thecasingfplatesbefore'referred tov(see F ig. 3), so-that it (the rotor)'fits accurately between the aforesaidV casing; 'members'.

The disk rotor is fso shaped thatit hastwo or more projecting portionswhich extendI to the out-er rim 'ofthe annular vchamberfand formdoublecams H1, H1, a space beingleft between each set' of: Edoubllejcams; in1 which space they pistcnfheads H2.' vare placed',- :andsecurely bolted to the cams. The piston heads; Which ,are` circularin-cross section have 5a moving-'it in andfapproximatfely fillthe-annular f chamber, bei-ngp'rovidedf IWith piston Vrings h1 'toprevent-passage -ofgases ioo ' The recesses 'orfvpockets' arehiprovidedfin j the radiating.' legs for' thel receptionl ofgates or abutments IVwhich reciprocate/radially. across the. openingfin"theannularsteamcylinder at this point,- completely. closingfthe same, andVpreventing-back pressure of the motive fluid. f

The form of these pockets is rectangular mits main sectonrfor,thereceptionf-the provided with three-way valvesv gates or slidingabutments, and these pockets widen out into additional pockets orrecesses F1, which entendY at right angles-at each' side of the maingate recess, these side i Vand are provided with 'slots F3` in whichare4 mounted the plungers F, Vwhich areV pivotally connected to avalvestem F5 fitted to slide in a bore in the slidinggate or abutment; thevalve stem carries a beveled valve held to the reduced end of the valvestem bya nut and said valve fits a beveled valve seat in the lower endof the abutment or gate, a coiled springv f surrounding'the valve stembetween the valve Vand* perforated,

v v.lows The pistonheadV advancing,

guide collar fl'held` inplace within-thebore ofthe` abutment by a setscrew f2 as seen in It will be noted that the plungers diverge andextend'thro'ugh theY opposite fenders yof* each abutment-so that theywill project into they path of the cams on the faces ofthe heads.V The'abutments are normally forced out ofthe pockets into the pathV of thepiston heads by pressure of the motive fluid advmitted behind the valveheadsthreugh'the port J, this pressure also keeping the valves to theirseats. This port leads from vthe pipe J1 which is connected by aT-u'nion K with the main motive fluid supply pipe L which extendsupwardly and is coupled up with i the motive fluid Supply reservoir, avalve L1 being'placed in the supply pipe to control the supply ofY steamor'shut it Voff entirely. i

resented by Mfand N, respectively, the inlet'pipe leading into thelannular chamber at the ports NlVv and the exhaust pipeV` communicatingwith the said annular chamberv by the ports Qt/I1. j- 1 The inlet Vpipeandtheexhaust Y N2' and M2 having stems to which are connected cranklevers Nland M3, the crank levers being pivotally connected to arockerrod O which is to Vbe manipulated by the en'gineer,'to op crateAthe valves, to admit steam, exhaust same, shut off and tosetlthevalves-for reversing the `engineVi 1 ''Vithin the wall of theannularlchamber vR projecting through curved slots atreach sideVandgcommu'nicating at one end with the inlet ports are the curvedeXpansion A'grooves VP which :areV controlled 'I by Vslides-Q littin'frsaid grooves and operated .from withouttthe 'casing by pi'nsor knobs YR1 in the wal-lsl vof 'the casing; these slides are, of course, fittedgas-tight in the arcuate belted off to drive machinery.

These fenders withcne of the plungers F4;

pipe areVV within said stator Yand grooves so that there will be noescape of the motive fluid through the slots in which move the pins. e

The rotor is keyed to the shaft and on the saidA shaft S is also keyed aband pulley T by means cf which pulley the power can be In the spacebetween the two abutments is 'a space that I designate as a lock betweenabutments.

The abutments which are to be two or more in numberare for the purposeof preventing back pressure, so that the power medium cannotv have atendency to force the piston heads backward to the nearest exhaust, andthese abutments are actuated by jets of steam, air or gas under pressureconnected with outside circulation and con-A trolled by valves (notshown).

Functioning of the mechanism is asfol-V the abutsure below the valve inthe bore thereof, the

cam on the face of the piston head contacts this forces open the valveF5 and releases pressure from behind the abutment, whereupon theabutment -recedes into the pocket or recesses, and the piston headpasses over the same. In the walls of theabutments that face each otherjust beneaththe fender on that side is disposed a small passage l()which communicates withv they bore ofv the abutment, both of thesepassages being closed when vthe abutments are forced entirely withintheir pockets, but as soon as the cam lof a piston head contacts with aplunger of an extended abutment thevalve in the abutment being unseated,communication is established between` inside of the pocket and fluidpressure therein will rush through the bore 'of' thev abutment anddischarge through the j'iassageV lOinto the lock between the abutments.n .g

To reverse the engine,the motive Vfluid is directed'by the three wayvalves herei'nbe fore referred to, which valves are worked in unison byAmeans of the rocker bar which will be attached to and thrown by anordinary lever. Y A

' The meeting faces ofthe two members of the stator" Vare provided withkannular grooves just within the inner circumference oftheannularchamber, in which are placed gaskets @which bear; against therotor and prevent vpassage ofisteam'ifrom the steam chamber 'between'the membersV of the stator.

VI claimtv i' c 1. A rotary engine including a stator comprising anannular motive fluid chamber,

circular in cross section, and abutment 'pockets Vor recesses radiatingfromthe periphery thereof and conununicating'with said annular chamber,a rotor rotatably mounted comprising a Ydisk communicating With said andlradially disposed piston headsfitting within said annular chamber, camplates projecting from the ends of said piston heads valved abutmentsslidably mounted in the radial pockets of the stator, motive fluidpressure inlet and outlet supply means annular chamber, the inlet meansalso communicating with the abutment pockets behind the valved abutmentsand forcingvthem into the annular chamber, and means carried by saidabutments to open the valve therein upon impact with a piston head,whereby pressure is released behind the abutments and through the sameinto the annular chamber between the abutments, and to permit theabutments to recedeinto their pockets.

:2. In a rotary engine, in combination, a stator including an annularmotive fluid pressure receiving chamber, abutment pockets radiatingtherefrom, valved fluid pressure projected abutments in said pockets,and means carried by said abutments controlling the valve means andactuated by the rotor to relieve said fluid pressure in the abutmentpockets whereby the abutments are forced Within their pockets by saidrotor.

3. In a rotary engine, the combination with a stator having radialabutment pockets, and an annular circular motive fluid chamber, a rotorcarrying piston heads, f1tting said annular chamber, abutments slidablymounted in said pockets, means for introducing motive fluid behind thesaid abutments, and means carried by the abutments for releasing themotive Huid behind the same to the aforesaid annular motive fluidchamber.

4L. In a rotary engine, the combination with a stator having an annularchamber, a motive fluid chamber and abutment pockets radiatingtherefrom, a rotor having piston heads fitting Within said annularchamber, means for introducing motive fluid into the annular chamber,means for introducing mos tive fluid into said pockets behind theabutments to project the abutments across the path of said piston heads,and means carried by the abutments for releasing pressure behind saidabutments.

5. In a rotary engine, the combination with a stator having an annularmotive fluid chamber therein, and radially disposed abutment pocketsprojecting therefrom, abutments slidably mounted in said pockets, saidabutments having a central bore, a valve at I the rear end of saidabutments and closing the bore at that end, means for introducing motivefluid to the abutment pockets at the rear end of the abutments` suchmotive fluid forcing the valve to its seat and Vclosing the rear end ofthe bore, a rotor mounted Within said stator and having piston headstraveling in the annular' chamber, and means carried by said pistonheads for unseating said valve to release pressure from behind theabutments to the annular chamber and between the abutments.

6. Inv arotary engine, the combination With a casing having radiallydisposed chambered legs extending from the periphery thereof, abutmentsslidably mounted in the chambers vof said legs, said abutments includinga centrally bored stem, means for introducing a motive fluid into saidlegV chambers at the rear of the abutment stand, aspring actuated valvestem projecting from the valve through the bore of the stem, perfor-atedangular fenders projecting from opposite sides of the stem at itsforward end, plungers connected to said 'valve stem and projectingthrough the perforations in the fenders, and a rotor carrying pistonheads having cam projections on the opposite faces thereof adapted toengage the aforesaid plungers to release pressure through the stem ofthe abutments into the annular chamber between the abutments, and meansfor admitting and exhausting motive fluid to the annular chamber, andbehind the valve stem of the abutments.

7. In a rotary engine, the combination with a stator having an annularmotive fluid chamber therein, and abutment chambers radiating therefrom,a shaft mounted in said casing, a rotary disk rigidly secured to saidshaft and adapted to rotate Within said stator, radial piston headscarried by said disk and fitting Within said annular chamber, theabutments slidably mounted Within said abutment chambers and adapted tobe forced into the abutment chambers by the piston heads, inlet portsextending into said annular chamber, and expansion grooves extendingfrom said inlet ports and lying Within said annular chambers, and meansfor controlling the area of said eX- pansion grooves.

In a rotary engine, with a casing having an fluid chamber, ingtherefrom,

the combination annular motive and abutment pockets radiata shaftmounted in said casing and a disk secured thereto and revolving Withinsaid casing, piston heads carried by said disk at its periphery andfitting within the said annular chamber, abutments slidably mounted insaid abutment pockets and adapted to be forced into the pockets by saidpiston heads, inlet and exhaust ports leading into said annular chamberat one side of the line of said abutment pockets, arcuate expansiongroovesextendingfrom said inlet and exhaust ports Within the annularchamber, and means for varying the area of the inlet expansion groove.

9. In a rotary engine, the combination withv a casing having an annularmotive fluid expansion chamber therein and abut` ment chambersprojecting therefrom and communicating with the said annular chatnber,fluid pressure actuated abutments slidably mounted in said abutmentchambers, said chambers having lateral recesses at its oiwaid" end, saidabutments including a hollow stem and angulai fenders at its front end,said fenders adapted te bev housed in saidv lateral recesses when theabutment is ol'ced' into their chambers, the forward end of saidabutinents having diverging openings' therethrough and plungei's mountedin saidV openings, a valve stem connected to said plungei's, a valve atthe rear end of said stem, and controlling the iear end of the hollowstem, a rotor mounted in said casing and having piston heads fittingWithin said annular chamber, and adapted to Contact with saidplum-gersandunseat the aforesaid valve at the rear of the abutmentstems, inlet andl outlet ports leading into the annular chamber betweenabutments, and to the abutment chambers attlie rear of the abutment's,a' source of motive 'luid supply, piping leading from thesame to theaforesaid ports; and three-Way valves for controlling said pipes betweenthe source of supply and the inlet and exhaust ports. l

JOHN G. PORTER.

Vitnesses z A. S. PAULsEN, JOHN WV. T Hansi-HE.

